The use of helicopters for the transportation of especially with respect to transportation from the scene of a disaster or accident to an emergency care center. In order for a helicopter to land safely and with minimal delay at such a scene, an airborne helicopter pilot must be able to easily discern a clearly defined area in which a landing can be made. The present invention generally relates to portable landing zones for helicopters, and more particularly concerns a portable landing zone that may be carried as equipment in an ambulance or similar emergency vehicle and rapidly deployed by persons on the ground so as to define a highly visible area in which a helicopter can land.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of landing structures for conventional aircraft are available, for instance, those devices disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,363,539 and 2,405,556. In addition, landing structures for helicopters, Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) and Very Short Take Off and Landing (VSTOL) aircraft are available, for instance, those devices disclosed by U. S. Pat. Nos. 3,318,556; 3,346,219; 3,456,909 and 3,649,724. These devices are primarily directed to creating a landing surface in a location where an aircraft or helicopter would not have been able to land but for the device, for instance, on a treetop or over a rough field, but also may act to mark an area where a landing may be made.
Despite the availability of such devices, there exists a need in the art for a reusable device that is directed to clearly marking an area where a helicopter may safely land on an existing surface rather than acting to create a surface upon which such a landing may be made, with such a device being lightweight, inexpensive, capable of easy and rapid deployment, and suitable of storage in and transportation by an emergency vehicle.